Hold on! If you expect your dog to stay small or get even bigger, we’re here to break down the real growth timeline!
Have you ever looked at your cute puppy and thought “When do dogs stop growing?” Watching a puppy grow is exciting but can also leave you curious about when they’ll reach their full size.
In this blog, we’ll walk you across everything you need to know about when dogs stop growing. How to answer all those questions you were wondering about regarding different breeds and their growth timelines? Covered! What supports healthy development for your dog? You’ll find that in there, too!
Why Do Dogs Grow at Different Rates?
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, from teeny Chihuahuas to huge Great Danes. One major difference that accounts for this extreme variation is breed size. For example, while a Chihuahua might top out in size at about 8 months of age, a Great Dane might keep growing until it is two years old! Genetics and general health also can have a huge impact on how rapidly your dog grows.
According to Dr Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer at the AKC
“Dogs grow at different rates based on several factors, including breed, genetics, and health.”
When do Dogs stop growing?
Generally, dogs stop growing between 12 to 18 months. However, this depends on the breed and size. For example, small breeds usually complete it between 12 months, while larger breeds complete this around 18 months or even their second year. So, when do dogs stop growing? All this has something to do with growth plates in bones tend to close as long as their physical growth is complete. Although psychologically and emotionally, dogs require a little more time to mature, it is during the same period when proper nourishment and care are most important for their health in the long run.
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Determining Factors for When a Dog Stops Growing
There are several factors to be considered in determining how long your dog will go on growing:
1. Breed Size
The size of your dog’s breed is the most significant factor in its growth timeline
| Dog Group Size | Final Size | Age |
| Toy | 1-6 kg (2.2-13.2 lbs) | 6-8 months |
| Small | 6-10kg (13.2-22 lbs) | 6-8 months |
| Medium | 10-25kg (22-55.1 lbs) | 9-10 months |
| Large | 25-45kg (55.1-99 lbs) | 11-15 months |
| Giant | 45+kg (99+ lbs) | 15-24 months |
Let’s Break Down Size Groups…
Small Dogs
Small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and Yorkies, reach full growth at around the age of 8 to 12 months. Since these dogs do not have to grow so much, they grow much faster than larger breeds.
Medium Dogs
Medium breeds, such as a Beagle and a Border Collie, grow until 12–16 months. They attain their growing pattern steadily in the first year, but the last length or mass is usually attained by 16 months.
Large Breeds
Large breeds, for instance, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers, stop gaining height by 18–24 months of age. The dogs will need more time to accumulate their large body and attain full size.
Giant Breeds
The longest period of growth is in giant breeds, such as the Great Dane and the Saint Bernard, which can continue to grow until they are 2 years old or older. Bones have a longer period of development due to their size.
2. Genetics and Health
In a puppy’s life, as in human lives, parents are so important. The Genetics of a dog decide how big a puppy grows, but also how fast. Healthy growth during those puppy years also depends upon health-conscious eating and exercise by a dog.
3. Nutrition and Exercise
Feeding the perfect diet to your dog will help in the proper growth of his bones, muscles, and organs. Either overweight or underweight conditions can deter proper growth. Similarly, sufficient exercise but not too strenuous for the developing bones will put the puppy on the correct route for healthy growth.
4. Puppy Growth Charts and What They Imply
This comes in handy when you have a puppy, you can track its growth and development. Growth charts indicate the range of expected weight and height against the age of a puppy as compared to the specific breed. Generally, it usually helps in tracking growth, and you will be sure whether your puppy is growing healthily.
4. Expected Growth Patterns
Most puppies have their biggest growth spurts during the first 6 months. For example, in the first three months, a small-breed puppy will grow 10 pounds! Medium and large breed puppies grow a little differently, but very similarly otherwise.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Growth
A normal puppy’s chart shows a pretty steady curve, whereas an unhealthy puppy either grows too fast or gets behind. That will most likely mean improper nutrition or an underlying health issue. Therefore, it is always best to be concerned and over issues with your vet to ask whether your dog is growing at the proper rate or not.
Timing of Growth Spurts
Such growth spurts vary in timing by breed, but a few general key times of change are noted below.
1. What Is a Growth Spurt?
A growth spurt is a stage when your puppy grows dramatically within a relatively short period. It generally comes with a sudden increase in appetite, longer sleep, and some amount of clumsy movement on the part of the puppy as it gets accustomed to its changing size.
2. Breed-Specific Growth Spurts
Small breeds grow in spurts quite early and finish their growth pretty fast, whereas the larger breeds would grow much slower but for a longer duration of time. For example, a Poodle might finish its growth spurt by 8 months, while a Great Dane could still be growing well into its second year.
3. Physical Cues of Growth Spurts
A growth spurt is marked by increased eating and sleeping of your puppy and perhaps a slight clumsiness because they are growing into their new size.
How to Create Healthy Growth
Proper care during the growing phase will go a long way for your dog to be healthy in the long term. Here is how you can help it out by giving it proper growth support…
1. Balanced Nutrition
Feed a puppy food that is specific to his or her size and age. Puppy formulas are rich in nutrients to support the growth of a puppy. Do not overfeed as excess weight can cause undue stress on developing joints.
2. Exercise Recommendations
These puppies should be moderately exercised to develop strong bones and muscles. However, one should not over-stress them through long runs, which might further damage the growth plate.
3. Make Routine Veterinary Check-Ups
Your vet can follow up on the growth of your puppy. They can apply X-rays to determine whether or not the growth plates are open or closed in your puppy thus marking the end of growth.
When to Visit the Vet for Growth Issues
Sometimes dogs don’t grow as expected, possibly due to health issues or genetic reasons. What you should do if you worry is what follows.
General Growth Problems
If your puppy is visibly smaller than average for his breed, he probably has a growth disorder, or he may not be getting the right food. Conversely, if he’s gaining weight at a rate that is significantly higher than could be considered normal, he might be overfed, or he could have an actual medical problem.
When to Seek Veterinary Care
If your puppy grows too slowly or shows less energy than other puppies its age, or if you see your puppy as disproportionate in some aspects. Please take it to the vet. They can tell you certain tests or even diet changes for your puppy.
Treatment and Interventions
Sometimes, puppies may require some supplements or special diets for them to grow properly. However, as always, you should bring the proper dietary intervention that will be recommended to you by your veterinarian.
Conclusion
In reality, knowing the stopping point of your dog’s growth is important to ensure that it grows up healthily in the long run. There are different timelines for the giant one depending on the breed size, genetics, and nutrition factors. Knowing when dogs stop growing helps you support the puppy’s development with the correct amount of food and exercise. Consequently, regular check-ups with the vet will also monitor growth and identify any possible concerns. So, enjoy seeing your puppy grow knowing that you’re giving them the best care and know when dogs stop growing at full size.
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